SARATOGA LAKE BS THREAD

[ActiveTrapChecker]

I don’t think you can get a machine on from Browns. Tough enough to get a jet sled through the fence openings

[buz23]

There was a truck with a trailer parked at Brown's this afternoon so someone took a machine out from there.  I've seen a couple 4 wheelers off Browns in the past week or so.

I don't know if its "allowed" or not but guys have been doing it.

[Hardwaterlipn147]

Anyone know ice thickness on fish creek by state launch?

[buz23]

Its nearly 15" as you go up into Fish Creek, but occasionally you will hit a thinner spot.  Stay away from the bubblers around the docks opposite the launch ramp.  When I was fishing out in the middle of Fish Creek Thursday there was a significant current.  My little perch jig was getting blown out from under the sonar beam in 25 FOW in the narrows near the launch ramp.  I moved north and in towards the drop on the side and had a lot better luck seeing the jig (and some fish) in 10-14 FOW.

[Hardwaterlipn147]

Slow start on fish creek today. Seems like everyone is quiet.

[lakesteve]

DEC was out quite a bit yesterday.

Mark you calendars Sunday Feb 12th. Motor Bike races will be on the ice in front of Brown's.

[Hardwaterlipn147]

They are just doin their job make sure your all legal and it's always nice to have a chat with them. They have a lot of info to learn from about what other people are experiencing and info on other bodies of water. Anyone else feeling a little weird about Saratoga lake this year? Not catching fish like other years

[ActiveTrapChecker]

The Saratoga region ECON officers are wonderful. I will second that they are just doing their job. Always a great conversation

[62&done]

It's been on and off for me. We had a pretty good start with the gills on first ice rite up to the big rain and they shut down. couldn't hardly catch one until yesterday.  started in my usual spot in 7.5 fow. after a morning of all most nothing, I moved out to 10.5 fow and the bite was crazy all afternoon. I did notice that the water seemed a little less cloudy out deep. could that have made the difference?    Hmmmmmm

[62&done]

Those DEC guys are welcome to come visit me any time they want. If your fishing legally and not leaving any trash, you have nothing to worry about. I wish we had more of them to go around

[Adironzach]

Saratoga has been real slow for me this year as well. Every day i've made it out, would have been the slowest day I had of the 2017 season. Im hoping that since its not brutally cold anymore, the bite will heat up. Made it out Monday and only three fish for my effort; but at least they were quality. Was fishing one of my favorite weed beds with tip ups spread out over a couple hundred yards, with depths ranging from 6-30'. Caught a small bass at 12', Northern (31") hit at 20', and the Walter (20") came at 17'. Getting out again this morning for a couple hours and will report back if I hook into anything interesting. Ice was consistent 8-9" everywhere I drilled.

[basshunter12748]

nice northern!   walleye northern small and largemouth bass is the toga slam! haha

[IceNeck9292]

Had a good early ice then shut right down to nothing until I got into this pile of slobs last weekend.

[delay18]

Had a good early ice then shut right down to nothing until I got into this pile of slobs last weekend.

Those are some serious slobs! I've never really had much luck at Saratoga. I either can't read the lake (very good possibility) or I just have horrible luck lol.


Congrats on some good looking perch! They are def in there. I saw a person on facebook who seemed to have a nice 3-4 person limit of nice size eyes this morning. Seriously jealous.

[SSmokinn SS]

Thats a insane bag of perch. Holy cow. Nice to see someone figured it out lol

[basshunter12748]

you guys crushed it.  I know from experience toga perch are not easy to come by in numbers like that.

[62&done]

WOW IceNeck  that's an awesome batch of perch  I seem to do well on gills there but struggle to nail the perch. can I just ask how deep?

[Bassmaster16]

What is up with the short walleye's this year? in three trips i've caughten 6 walleye. 5 shorts and 1 keeper. Anyone else having this problem?

Found 2 tip ups this weekend on the ice in 16 fow with bait set down 5 to 6 ft sat. I got talking with a couple guys on the ice later saturday before the rain came in and they said they were after eye's and were setting half there tip ups down 5 to 6 ft and the other half the standard 1 ft up. I've always caughten my walleye with tip ups 2 in to 12 in off the bottom. Anyone had success doing this on toga?

[delay18]

What is up with the short walleye's this year? in three trips i've caughten 6 walleye. 5 shorts and 1 keeper. Anyone else having this problem?

Found 2 tip ups this weekend on the ice in 16 fow with bait set down 5 to 6 ft sat. I got talking with a couple guys on the ice later saturday before the rain came in and they said they were after eye's and were setting half there tip ups down 5 to 6 ft and the other half the standard 1 ft up. I've always caughten my walleye with tip ups 2 in to 12 in off the bottom. Anyone had success doing this on toga?

You're not the first person I've heard mention that. I thought they were yanking my chain.

[slipbob]

What is up with the short walleye's this year? in three trips i've caughten 6 walleye. 5 shorts and 1 keeper. Anyone else having this problem?

Found 2 tip ups this weekend on the ice in 16 fow with bait set down 5 to 6 ft sat. I got talking with a couple guys on the ice later saturday before the rain came in and they said they were after eye's and were setting half there tip ups down 5 to 6 ft and the other half the standard 1 ft up. I've always caughten my walleye with tip ups 2 in to 12 in off the bottom. Anyone had success doing this on toga?

This was the first year I was measuring walleyes at Toga so yes seems to be a lot of them at just legal size or below which is a good sign.  I pick up a lot of eyes trolling stickbaits at night on the deep weedlines so lures are running 5 to 6 ft down over 15-16 feet of water so why not on the tipups set that far down.  Walleyes feed up regularly especially at dusk and into the night. 

[basshunter12748]

if you put your setup just off bottom alot of times you will get the minnow fouled in the weeds.  I usually do about 5 wraps on the tipup spool but if its a shallow setup <8 FOW i might just put it halfway down.

[JiggnWithIt]

Fished today two walleyes 22" 21" and 30" pike. Fished 32' water caught them 6' off bottom

[ActiveTrapChecker]

Fished today two walleyes 22" 21" and 30" pike. Fished 32' water caught them 6' off bottom

nice! one of the better days i've heard or read about in 2018.

If you don't mind me asking, tip ups, jigging or both?

[delay18]

Fished today two walleyes 22" 21" and 30" pike. Fished 32' water caught them 6' off bottom

Nicely done! I guess I need to rethink my setups. I've just always done the traditional 1 to maybe 2ft off bottom.

Have you ever experimented with beads or blades on a tip up as an extra attractant?  I've been doing some reading and just curious if anyone in the area has actually tried it.

[JiggnWithIt]

nice! one of the better days i've heard or read about in 2018.

If you don't mind me asking, tip ups, jigging or both?

Tipups

[JiggnWithIt]

Nicely done! I guess I need to rethink my setups. I've just always done the traditional 1 to maybe 2ft off bottom.

Have you ever experimented with beads or blades on a tip up as an extra attractant?  I've been doing some reading and just curious if anyone in the area has actually tried it.

Yes I usually run a couple setups with beads. When things are slow or I get skunked I begin mixing things up and try different approaches

[RIVERRAT2]

when i use tip ups i put beads and blades on all the time,it works best for me
-red beads
-# 2 hammered nickel colorado blades
-some times pipe cleaner with gulp on it
 
RAT

[delay18]

when i use tip ups i put beads and blades on all the time,it works best for me
-red beads
-# 2 hammered nickel colorado blades
-some times pipe cleaner with gulp on it
 
RAT

Yes I usually run a couple setups with beads. When things are slow or I get skunked I begin mixing things up and try different approaches

Thanks for the tips guys. Do you run your attracter right above the minnow or up a few inches. I did 1 tip-up this past weekend with a few beads and a blade. I ran it up 6 inches and it seemed to get hit a decent amount.

[Iceman12020]

Anyone know the thickness of the ice on Saratoga.  Been fishing Sacandaga a lot this year with decent success but would like to try Toga for some Eyes!

With a fourwheer... Are there any specific areas I should avoid?  Where to launch?

[chessieman]

Ice off Fitch is solid 12+", the area just off the dirt ramp onto the ice however is treacherous - coming off last night I found a Gentleman - he was wearing a wool car coat, loafers, dress pants,... - with his Jeep nose down unable to move with his front wheels up to the axle - 4 of us with 2 pick-ups and a wheeler w/winch tired for the better part of an hour to get him out - no dice, ice was too slick - the Jeep had no tow-eye up front which would have made pulling him out easy. Left him for the tow truck.

Lesson, it's not the driving on ice that dangerous, it's the driving onto the ice that will get you - this is the 2nd one in two weeks at that spot.

Brown's - 12", below 9P bridge 7"-10", open water on west shore by the Kaydeross